Philadelphia Eagles Schedule Analysis
Philadelphia Eagles Schedule Analysis
With the long-awaited 2019 NFL schedule release finally taking place, let’s analyze the Eagles path to the postseason.
Week One The Eagles kick off the year on September 8th against the lowly Washington Redskins. The last time Philly started off the season against Washington, they won the Super Bowl. Case Keenum, who started for Minnesota in the NFC title game that year, should be starting for Washington.
Early Prediction: W (1-0)
Week Two The week after, Philly gets a primetime SNF game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles hosted Atlanta in a nailbiter for the league’s 2018 Kickoff game. The Falcons missed the playoffs last season, but that can be attributed to an unlucky rash of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. There is still nobody on the Eagles that can cover Julio Jones, who was an overturned catch away from the 200 yard mark the last time these teams matched up.
Early Prediction: L (1-1)
Week Three The Birds get a date with the Detroit Patriots Lions, the team that we thought we fleeced Golden Tate from. The Lions made a couple of splashes in free agency, but remain the bottom dwellers in the NFC North. If the Eagles are to be respected as contenders, they should easily win games like this.
Early Prediction: W (2-1)
Week Four Philadelphia goes to Lambeau to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Regardless of how Green Bay’s last two seasons have played out, they still have #12 behind center, and that makes them dangerous in every game. It’s yet to be determined what new HC Matt LaFleur brings to the table, but it should be more refreshing than Mike McCarthy’s outdated playbook. Davante Adams presents a matchup problem for Philadelphia’s DBs.
Early Prediction: W (3-1)
Week Five The Eagles host Le’Veon Bell and the new-look Jets. They’ll be a much tougher team to beat than in recent years, but the Eagles are the superior team in more than just uniforms. This will be the closest we’ll get to Le’Veon Bell in Philly.
Early Prediction: W (4-1)
Week Six Even if the Vikings defeated the Eagles during the regular season in 2018, Philadelphia has owned Minnesota dating back to the Sam Bradford trade. Minnesota hasn’t changed much from last season, which bodes well for the Eagles. This feels like a game that the team could inexplicably drop, but Kirk Cousins knack for disappearing in big games should be enough.
Early Prediction: W (5-1)
Week Seven The Eagles get Dallas for the first of their two meetings. You know Philadelphia will come in motivated to make up for getting swept last season, but this isn’t the same Cowboys squad that the Eagles walloped in their Super Bowl season. Malik Jackson’s questionable run defense could hurt here because Dallas will feed Ezekiel Elliott. If DeSean Jackson brings back flashbacks of 2010, the Birds win it in regulation. If Dallas holds him in check, they take it in overtime.
Early Prediction: L (5-2)
Week Eight The highlight of this game will be DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy taking a postgame photo. There’s no reason that the Bills should be a problem for Carson and Co.
Early Prediction: W (6-2)
Week Nine The Eagles double-doinked Chicago out of the playoff last year, their fourth consecutive victory over the Bears. Lane Johnson is at his best against the best, and it’s important for him to keep Khalil Mack at bay. Jordan Howard is on our side for this one, and if Allen Robinson doesn’t make toast out of whoever’s on him, this matchup won’t be as difficult as it seems.
Early Prediction: W (7-2)
Week Ten Bye Week.
Week Eleven The hyped Super Bowl LII matchup with the Patriots comes in Week Eleven. It’s currently listed as an afternoon game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was flexed to SNF. Both teams will be coming off of a bye, so expect the best from each side. It would be a major disappointment if this game was anything short of a thriller, but just like the Super Bowl, Doug Pederson’s aggressiveness could be a deciding factor (for better or for worse). New England has never played a healthy Wentz, and the Eagles ferocious defensive line should give the ageless Tom Brady fits all game.
Early Prediction: W (8-2)
Week Twelve The Eagles haven’t had success against the Seahawks, with their last win over them coming back in 2008. Russell Wilson scored a mega-extension from Seattle, so Philly’s D-linemen could have a long day chasing around the QB. A healthy Doug Baldwin + Tyler Lockett combo could cause some issues for the Eagles defense who will also have to deal with rising star RB Chris Carson.
Early Prediction: L (8-3)
Week Thirteen Ryan Fitzpatrick gave the Eagles fits last season, but (1) he’s a Dolphin, and (2) he can’t have consecutive good seasons. Miami is clearly tanking, and losing this game puts them in a better position for Tua Tagovailoa or whoever their target may be.
Early Prediction: W (9-3)
Week Fourteen The Eagles begin their four-game streak of playing division rivals, starting with the New York Giants. There’s a good chance that Eli Manning is starting this game, which is good news for Fletcher Cox and the rest of the D. Saquon Barkley gave us a tough time both times we saw him, but with not much else around him, New York isn’t scaring anyone.
Early Prediction: W (10-3)
Week Fifteen Coming off of games against the Dolphins and Giants could cause Philadelphia to come out sleepwalking, but the Eagles are not going to lose to the Washington Redskins.
Early Prediction: W (11-3)
Week Sixteen The Eagles draw the Cowboys in a game where both teams should have much to play for. This one will be at home in front of the raucous Philadelphia crowd and has the makings of a DeSean Jackson game. Assuming they have a healthy defensive backfield at this point, the Eagles should load up on Zeke Elliott and force Prescott to win the game with his arm, which he won’t be able to do.
Early Prediction: W (12-3)
Week Seventeen The Eagles conclude the regular season with their second game against the Giants. There’s a 99% chance that this game is meaningless for the Giants, and also a solid chance that the top seed is in play. Division rivals always try their best to stick it to each other, but the Giants are just simply not a good football team.
Early Prediction: W (13-3)
Analysis: I firmly believe that this Eagles team is better than the 2017 Super Bowl champion squad. Injuries ripped this team apart last season, and with better injury luck, they will make their return to the NFL’s elite. 13-3 is a very optimistic record, but because of a second-place schedule and a matchup with the AFC East, it’s a realistic record. Philadelphia won’t have to face the Rams or Saints until the playoffs and have as good of a chance as they do to take a top-two seed. 13-3 is probably the ceiling for this team, and 10-6 is the floor (GB, NE, and CHI games could easily go the other way). Either way, the Eagles should be in the playoffs for a third straight season, and hopefully this time, a healthy Carson Wentz will be at the controls.
-By: Micah Jimoh